At this point in the series, most of the scale information Hawkeye has presented has dealt primarily with the blues genre. The current lesson transcends the boundaries of specific genres. Consequently, Hawkeye views this as one of the most important and useful lessons in the series. Due to its importance, make sure that you do not gloss over the information presented in this lesson. If you do not understand something, make sure that you contact Hawkeye or another JamPlay instructor for help.

Lesson Objectives

-Learn how the minor pentatonic scale pattern that you have already learned can be used when improvising over major key progressions outside of the blues genre.

Music Theory Overview

Very little music theory is necessary to convey the topic of this lesson. However, you will need to understand the information below in order to get the most out of this lesson.

A. Tonalities / Key Centers

Chord progressions and melodies are typically written in what is called a "tonality." Major and minor are the two most common tonalities. The modes based on the major and minor scales are examples of tonalities as well. At this point, discussion shall be limited to the major and minor tonalities.

B. Basic Ear Training Skills

You must be able to accurately determine the key center of the song. In other words, you must know the "home base" note that the chord progressions seems to gravitate towards. If necessary review the procedure that Hawkeye outlines in lesson 24. A brief review from this lesson is provided below.

Playing with Recordings

Playing along with your favorite blues records is an excellent way to develop your rhythmic and improvisational skills. To determine the key center of a song, follow these steps:

1. Make sure your guitar is in tune. You must also know which tuning the guitarist on the recording is playing in. For example, Stevie Ray Vaughn tuned every string down a half step. Other guitarists frequently play in open tunings such as open E, open G, and open D. Occasionally, some guitarists have been known to tune the guitar down an additional 1/4 step or microtone in addition to tuning down by a half step or whole step.

2. When determining the key of the song you are trying to play along with, you must take an organized approach. Do not simply jump all over the fretboard to find the correct tonic note. Use the E strings as a guide in order to find the root note of the tonic or I chord. Ascend chromatically in half steps until you find what you believe to be the root note of the tonic chord. This chord will identify the key of the song.

3. Then, play the minor pentatonic scale in this key along with the recording to make sure that it works. If this scale doesn't work, you must start the whole process over again.

4. After working through this process several times, you will notice that finding the tonal center of a song becomes much easier.

Steps to Creating an Effective Solo

1. Determine the Tonal Center

The ear training trick that Hawkeye taught in lesson 24 will help you find the key that the song is in. Unfortunately, this process will not tell you whether the song is played in a major or minor key. You can use your ears to guide you. However, this may not be a full proof method at this point. By applying some music theory rules, you can judge whether the song is in a major or minor key. The only full proof method at this point is probably to use simple trial and error.

2. Trial and Error

Play the minor pentatonic scale in the tonal center of the song. For example, if you have determined that the tonal center or key of the song is G, improvise over the progression using the G minor pentatonic scale in third position. If the notes in the scale sound consonant against the chord progression, then you've found a winner!
At this point, you know that the minor pentatonic scale is one effective option that will work over the progression. However, we still haven't determined whether the song is in a major or minor tonality. In many situations, the minor pentatonic scale will sound consonant over a progression played in a parallel major key.

The confusing aspect to consider is that the minor pentatonic scale will work over some progressions in major keys and not others. For example, the G minor pentatonic scale will work over a blues progression in the key of G major. Both the 12 and 8 bar blues progressions are typically played in major keys. Even though they are played in major keys, the minor pentatonic scale of the same letter name is still a very effective scale option when improvising over these progressions.

Parallel Keys

Parallel keys are major and minor keys that share the same letter name. For example, C major and C minor are parallel keys. The tonal center of both keys is the note C. However, their key signatures are different by three accidentals. The key of C major has no sharps or flats in the key signature. On the other hand, the key of C minor has three flats in the key signature. Compare the spelling of the C major scale and the C minor scale listed below.

When playing over the progression, the minor pentatonic scale might have sounded inappropriate. If the notes clash or sound dissonant with the progression, try playing the scale down three frets (a minor third). The chord progression is most likely in a major key that the parallel minor pentatonic scale will not work with.

Chapter 2: (10:39) You Ain't Goin' Nowhere
"You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" is a classic song written by Bob Dylan. It consists of a basic major key progression in the key of G major. It consists of G, Am, and C - the I, ii and IV chords in G major. Hawkeye demonstrates the song at 00:39.

If you try playing the G minor pentatonic scale over this progression, it sounds awful. Instead, you need to play E minor pentatonic, which is located three frets below. Essentially, you are now using a G major pentatonic scale over the progression. G major pentatonic shares the same notes as E minor pentatonic. Compare the spellings of these two scales below:

The relative minor pentatonic scale of the major key shares the same notes as the major pentatonic scale of the tonal center. Hawkeye solos over the progression using the G major pentatonic scale (same notes as E minor pentatonic) at 05:07 to demonstrate how this works.

Transposing the Song and Scales

When played in the key of C, "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere" still consists of the I, ii, and IV chords. In the key of C, these chords are C, Dm, and F. Play C major pentatonic over this progression. This scale features the same notes as its relative minor pentatonic scale, A minor. Hawkeye plays the song in C at 08:04.

Chapter 3: (02:27) Key of A
The I, ii, and IV chords of this key are A major, Bm, and D major respectively. Play A major or its relative minor pentatonic scale, F# minor.

Chapter 4: (06:21) Key of D
The I, ii, and IV chords in this key are D, Em and G. Play D major pentatonic (same notes as B minor pentatonic) over the progression.

Chapter 5: (08:03) Down Three Frets
The root note of the relative minor pentatonic scale is located three frets or one and a half steps down from the tonal center or key of the song. For example, when playing in the key of C, count back three half steps to find the pentatonic scale built from the relative minor key. The relative minor to C major is A minor. This trick will enable you to find the proper scale quickly without counting on your fingers.

A circle of fifths wheel is provided under the "Supplemental Content" tab for a quick reference of major keys and their relative minors.

Clarification

In the lesson video, Hawkeye says that the E minor pentatonic scale will not sound good when playing "Folsom Prison Blues" in the key of E major. This is not true. The minor pentatonic scale is quite effective when playing over a 12 bar blues in a major key. In this situation, both the E minor pentatonic scale and the E major pentatonic scale (same notes as C# minor pentatonic) will work over the progression. These two scales are frequently interspersed within a single improvised line.

You're most welcome, Will. Thanks for the kind words about this lesson. So glad you found it helpful and useful Please note that there are more free guitar lessons at my web site: http://hawkeyeherman.com/guitar-lessons.htm ...and please be sure to watch some of the songs on video that I have posted at youtube.com, try to play along with me, it's good practice, and try to 'steal' my licks/riffs. ideas: http://www.youtube.com/user/HawkeyeH ... also, if you're interested in blues history, there are many articles I've written on blues history and the many iconic blues musicians that I met and learned from directly over the years: http://hawkeyeherman.com/articles.htm ... I hope you continue to enjoy these lessons.

The blues had a baby and they named it Hawkeye Herman!
Awesome lesson! Quick question - If I were to play lead in the minor blues scale over a non-blues in major, would I change the scale along with the key that the rhythm is in? So in the Key of E when the rhythm is playing A for example I would play the blues scale in F # and when it is in B I would play the G scale? Thank you for all of your help!

Thanks for your kind comments, Ryan. I'm so glad you're hangin; in there and enjoying these lessons. Your question is a good one, but you're getting ahead of yourself. Stick with the 'program'/follwoing the lessons in the order they are presented, and you'll see that there is a complete lesson that answers your question about playing the blues/minor pentatonic over a major chord non-bluesy song. I like your enthusiasm ;-) For now, I'll just tell you that, for example, if a song is in the key of C major, you can play the Am pentatonic blues scale over the entire song, regardless of the chord changes. In other words, you can play a minor scale over a major chord song by moving the pentatonic scale to the 6th (VI) chord of that key. Don't worry about it ... it's covered in a future lesson. A great deal of thought and planning has gone into the order and content of each of my lessons. ;-) I anticipate all such questions as best I can, and in this case, it's covered ... just don't go jumping ahead to look for it. It will come up in the lesson series at the appropriate time. Thanks for 'traveling' with me on the 'blues highway' here at JamPlay.com.

Hi Hawkeye. Still hanging in, and this lesson was another jewel. My math is shakey, so instead of counting to the 6th note in whatever scale, I go back 1 1/2 steps from the key note. That make sense? Of course with the visual approach I won't have to do that either. The more I play the faster the new stuff comes; for this older man it's very exciting.

Hints for playing the song and adding variations to the accompaniment style: You should be aware, notice, that I like to add variations to "Folsom Prison Blues" by hammering on within the E chord on the 5th string from open (A note) to 2nd fret (B note) ... and also adding the low G note on the lowest E string/6th string at the 3rd fret of the 6th/E string with my pinky/little finger ... and I also sometimes play an E6 chord by adding to an E chord the note at the 2nd fret of the B/2nd string with my pinky: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.play-acoustic-guitar.com/images/E6-Free-Printable-Guitar-Chord-Chart.png&imgrefurl=http://www.play-acoustic-guitar.com/e6-guitar-chord.html&h=512&w=522&sz=93&tbnid=hLXornzXmx6K0M:&tbnh=128&tbnw=131&prev=/search%3Fq%3DE6%2Bguitar%2Bchord%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=E6+guitar+chord&hl=en&usg=__uKNHJ-_WPUeZ14QJi-EWZoLXNSg=&sa=X&ei=BrgET9_xFonYiAKmyajJDg&ved=0CCIQ9QEwBA

This number 77 is such a great lesson Hawkeye. It has even more benefit than the title implies. I was particularly struck by how you played the section in Scene 5 "Down Three Frets" from 4:13 to 4:47. I have been trying to duplicate your handling of the chords for Folsom Prison Blues in which you appear to embellish the treble and bass portions of those chords. It sounds great! I would love to see a short lesson on how you do that. In the meanwhile I will keep going back to the lesson and try to figure it out. I LOVE IT!

Thanks so much for the kind words and for enjoying these lessons, Joe. Very much appreciated. I've given a lot of thought and planning as to the order of these lessons. I hope you follow them in the order they are presented, patiently progressing from one lesson to the next at your own speed. By following the lessons in the order they are presented you will gain a strong foundation and understanding of blues music that will serve you well and hopefully give you the tools/skills/information to play blues guitar freely and even improvise creatively. Hints on "Folsom PRison Blues": I hammer on the 5th (A) string B note of the E chord, and I sometimes play an E6 chord by adding to an E chord the note at the 2nd fret of the B/2nd string with my pinky: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.play-acoustic-guitar.com/images/E6-Free-Printable-Guitar-Chord-Chart.png&imgrefurl=http://www.play-acoustic-guitar.com/e6-guitar-chord.html&h=512&w=522&sz=93&tbnid=hLXornzXmx6K0M:&tbnh=128&tbnw=131&prev=/search%3Fq%3DE6%2Bguitar%2Bchord%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=E6+guitar+chord&hl=en&usg=__uKNHJ-_WPUeZ14QJi-EWZoLXNSg=&sa=X&ei=BrgET9_xFonYiAKmyajJDg&ved=0CCIQ9QEwBA .... I hope you continue to enjoy these lessons.

Many of you have asked about the guitar I'm using in this section of my lessons. It's a 1964 Martin model O-18. It has a very small body, frequently referred to as a 'parlor guitar' ... it's referred to as a 'parlor guitar' because the O-18 body size was very popular in the late 19th and early 20th Century when folks met and played for social enjoyment and comradship in ensembles in their living rooms and parlors, before the phonograph and radio become popular as a means of entertainment and pastime ... the diminutive/small body size lent it self to be more readily played by women ... who might have trouble dealing with the larger sizes of guitar bodies and wider neck(s). The O-18 model has a very sweet sound and is an excellent guitar for studio recording. This model of Martin guitar is no longer available new ... it's no longer produced by Martin on a regular basis ... and it's only available on special order. I DON'T play this guitar when I perform because I generally don't like the narrowness of the neck ... I have big hands/fingers ... and the narrow neck 'cramps' my style ... I used this guitar for this section of my lessons because it records well ... and, mainly, because I like to show folks that they can play blues on ANY guitar ... as long as it sounds good to your ears and fits/is comfortable in your hands. This guitar sounds great ... but is not what I play on a regular basis because of the narrowness of the neck is not truly comfortable for me over the 'long haul' when I'm performing in concert and at festivals.

Dear Hawkeye, sometimes I spend too much time in theories and other technical aspects and not enough on practice and I believe it’s to do with my work background. Anyway, can you help me out to understand when do we apply major v/s minor pentatonic in Blues ?
A minor pentatonic : A C D E and G whereas
A major pentatonic : A B C# E F .
A good proportion of blues songs use major chords (or 7th) e.g A E B . Should we play the A major pentatonic for those rather than E minor Pentatonic.
Whilst some blues songs may go like Am Em Bm .Should we then be playing the A minor pentatonic .
Thanking you for your lessons and continue with Phase 3 as the songs are simply fantastic
Rama

Rama, Thanks so much for enjoying these lessons and for your question. The answer is ... in the doing. It is your job to experiment with both scales and see what happens ... no one will get hurt or injured in the process, and you will find the answer to your question. Enjoy the process of exploring using both of these scales ... and let me know your 'conclusion.' :-) Again, thanks so much for being here at JamPlay.com.

As the chord progression goes G Am C . As an experiment , I tried to play it using G9/B( 2/3 fret four fingers) , Am and C9/G ( wrap on 2/3 fret) . However, it sounds very odd . Unless, I am playing it wrong is it fair to say that these chords are more for Blues and not for normal majors. Thank you for your valuable lessons

Thanks for the comment/question, Rama. In many instances you can substitute 9th chords for the 'normal' major chords ... but not in this situation. Your ears will tell you when it works. Thanks for enjoying these lessons.

When we play in G chord , then play solo Blues scale at the 6th which is E ( at Scene 2 5.28m). Can you clarify the way you went around the scale in a twisted fashion and not straight up. The lick sounds fantastic and pleasing but is there a logic to it or we can simply make up a lick so long that it is in E scale.
Thank you for your fantastic lessons
rcaus

Thanks for the kind comments and for your question. I'm playing the E blues minor pentatonic at the open position, while the song is in the key of G ... which makes the scale a 'limited' G major scale . I'm playing the notes of the scale in the order I've taught them in previous lessons on the blues scale, and then improvising freely. Since you state in your profile that you're a 'beginner,' and you've only been here at JamPlay.com since early August, perhaps you missed something in the previous 76 lessons? Also, I suggest you use the video controls to stop and restart and view the selection in question over and over again until you get it (one of the great benefits of video lessons is you can get me to say/do the same things a million times until you get it.). That's the best I can do here, without going into a long dissertation on music theory ... also, please go back and catch the lessons on the blues scale that you may have missed in order to get to this point in the lessons ... which are meant to be viewed in the order presented, the information in each lesson is built on the previous lesson ... I'm trying to give you a strong understanding and foundation in the music ... if you skip around/cherry pick through the lessons ... there will be many 'bricks' of information that you will lack in the creation of a strong foundation in blues music and how it applies to other genres of music, as in this lesson. Thanks again for your kind words and question.

Dear Hawkeye,
I was born in Mauritius ( Indian Ocean),an island where there were slaves. I heard of Blues music when I was 15 years and wanted to learn it but due to exam pressure I had to give up on guitar. It is now a golden opportunity but at 40 years old to have you as our teacher and it took me 2 months to make an assessment of whether I should go into this venture as it's in fact a lifetime learning.
As from last week, I started all over again and this time spending more time on each lesson .
Thank you for the lessons
Regards
rcaus

I'm glad you're enjoying these lessons. It's never too late to begin an interesting, worthwhile, and entertaining journey. I hope you continue to enjoy these lessons, and that you continue to improve your skills and play blues music ... forever. ;-) Thanks so much for your kind comments and appreciation for these lessons.

I love this site!!! Especially Hawkeye. One thought/tip that might be helpful here. I watched this several months ago and frankly didn't get it. Watching again today I had an "AHA" moment. In your blues scale, the index finger defines the key in blues/major. That exact same shape, but with the PINKY rather than the index finger, defines the key in major. The counting up six notes is helpful, but I'm visually oriented. Once I got the index vs. pinky thing, the lightbulb came on. All the other shapes in the blues/pentatonic fall into place too. WOW.

Thanks so much for enjoying these lessons and for you kind comments. PLease don't get ahead of yourself ... stick with the lesson plan ... I've given a lot of thought to the content and order of these lessons ... please study the lessons in the order I've presented them, and in due time 'all will be revealed to you' in regard to using the blues scale to play major rather than minor. ;-) Thanks so much for traveling with me here on the 'blues highway' at JamPlay.com. I hope you continue to enjoy these lessons.

Thanks for asking. I haven't done any workshops in AZ, sorry to say. Most of the guitar workshops that I do are in association with or in tandem with my appearance/performance at blues festivals. So it follows, there are blues societies in AZ ... the Phoenix Blues Society and the Tucson Blues Society... both sponsor events like blues festivals and concerts ... if you'd kindly 'refer' them to me ... perhaps they might consider bringing me there to perform and do a workshop. I'd love to. Thanks again for asking. I do hope to perform and teach in AZ ... someday.

Hawkeye where do you mainly go then?? Califonia? or more midwest -east coast? I would love to go to a blues festival/workshop. I really only know a couple blues clubs here in Phoenix but they play great live music.

I go everywhere ... I don't go to just one region exclusively ... I travel and perform in concert and at festivals all over North and South America and in Europe ... I have yet to perform/teach in Asia and Australia ... but I hope to.
You can see my tour schedule easy enough here:
http://www.hawkeyeherman.com/tour_schedule.htm
Yes, there are a few blues clubs in Phoenix with great music, like the Rhythm Room in Phoenix, ... but I no longer play in bars/pubs/clubs ... I did that for more than 25 years ... for the past ten years I only perform in concert halls, at outdoor blues/folk/jazz festivals, workshop presentations, and in-school presentations/concerts ... I don't accept bar/pub/club gigs ... but there is a wintertime blues festival in Phoenix put on by the Phoenix Blues Society ... if you really want to be 'in touch' with what's going on in your area you should join the Phoenix (or Tucson) Blues Society (www.phoenixblues.org) ... and of course, referring them to my would be very much appreciated. I'd love to come to Phoenix to perform and teach.
Thanks so much for enjoying these lessons and your interest in having me do a workshop in your area. I hope it happens in the future. I'll go anywhere I'm invited ... if the concert/festival venue and the price is right. I hope to see ya in Phoenix ... someday ... sooner than later.

Thanks! ... I rearrange/adapt many of Dylan's songs using blues techniques ... and this approach in lesson #77 is very useful for playing lead in songs that are not strictly blues songs. I hope you continue to enjoy these lessons.

I thought I might Post this information for those who are having some trouble finding the correct Key. Refer to Hawkeye's lesson #24 which is a big help.Then you can apply the techniques Hawkeye teaches in this most important lesson.

Thanks for posting this, Dennis. I think I'll place a post to the lesson you refer to in the forum area, as well, under it's own topic heading/title ... for those in need of this information. Much appreciated.

Thanks for the message, Dennis. There's much more to come in this 'area of study' ... learning to play lead blues guitar. I hope you keep your guitar out of the closet and continue to enjoy these lessons.

I already left a message here before, but i decided i needed a revision of this amazing technique. I just wanted to ask, just before the end there you were playing a johnny cash song, folsom prision blues (i think), in the key of E. When you played the 2 chord, Fm, you didn't hold an Fm shape chord, what exactly were you doing there, it sounded fab? OB

Thanks for the question/comment. There are three sections to this video ... please be more specific ... "...near the end" ... isn't enough information for me to find what you're referring to ... so, please tell me which of the three video sections you are referring to "Near the end", and using the little 'time clock' in the right hand corner of the videos, please tell me at exactly what minute/second it happens. Thanks.

Thanks for enjoying these lessons ad for your question. The 'major blues scale" ... ? ... sorry, I don't understand your terms. Forget that 'label'/term ... what you're doing is playing a minor pentatonic scale that has been moved down three frets and now replicates a major scale in the same as the original minor blues scale key you were in. You're playing the minor pentatonic blues scale at the 'relative sixth' position. For example, play the pentatonic minor blues scale in the key of C at the 8th fret. Now, move that same scale down three frets to the 5th fret (where a barred A or Am chord would be ... A/Am is the relative 6th of C) ... and now you're playing, at the 5th fret, a partial C major scale. You've got the idea correct ... just don't call this a 'major blues scale' ... that doesn't work for me and does not communicate accurately what we're doing here. If somebody asks you what the concept is you'd respond that you're 'playing the fingering positions for a pentatonic minor blues scale' at it's relative sixth position, which creates a partial major scale in the same key as the blues scale you were playing. Don't be confused by terms, and don't assume you can 'create' terms of your own ... like 'major blues scale' ... we already have musical terms that are universal and communicate clearly to others (I hope ;-) what we're trying to do. If all else fails, forget the 'terms,' and just practice and play. Bottom line, as long as you understand and can accomplish the concept I'm trying to teach you, I could care less if you know how to put the concept 'into words.' Again, thanks so much for enjoying these lessons.

Hey, are you yelling at me? :-) Those capital letters hurt my ears.
:-) So, glad this lesson struck a 'chord' with you. Now, go play lead along with everything in your music/record collection. I hope your find other 'gems' like this in the course of your travels with me on the 'blues highway.'

If this is not the most useful lessons ever. Thanks so very much! I had to watch it again just to check I hadn't dreamt it. If there is 1 thing I take away from Jamplay, this will be it.
I enjoyed watching your lesson sets too. They've been great!

Thanks so much. I'm so glad you recognize the 'power' that this concept brings to your playing. For more on this, may I suggest: http://www.jamplay.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5829 ... http://www.jamplay.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5827 ... http://www.jamplay.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5669 ... I hope you use the information you've received here for the rest of your life. :-) Thanks again.

Gary,
Thanks so much. Glad to help. It's never too late for the pieces of the 'puzzle' to fall into place. There are free guitar lessons at my web site here: http://www.hawkeyeherman.com/guitar-lessons.htm and I highly recommend you check this out, as it could be very helpful to you: http://www.hawkeyeherman.com/pdf/lessons/Spanningtheneck-A.pdf Thanks again for enjoying these lessons and for taking the time to leave a comment. From a fellow Iowan (Davenport).

mike4370, Thanks for the kind comment. It's most satisfying for me to share the information with y'all ... and especially when a particular piece of information/lesson opens the doors of perception for you ... giving you an "Aha! moment" ... that will last you a lifetime on the guitar. I hope you continue to enjoy these lessons.

Thank you for this real highlight in your lessons Hawkeye. You explain these techniques so well and avoid the problem of most books I have tried to learn from where they bomard you with technical terms and detailed analysis. They forget the important thing is that you can play it and it sounds good.
Thanks also for brightening my day - you were even more enthusiastic and cheerful than usual on this lesson (and you already raise the bar high on that front). Having buried my cat of near 19 years at lunchtime today you were a real tonic this evening.
If anyone has a problem remembering that its three frets down from the major to the minor scale there is another way of working this out. I think this shows how blues and the guitar are just perfectly designed for people. Put your little finger on the first string at the fret which is the root note of the major. Then put your ring finger on the one below, your middle finger on the one below that and then your index finger on the next one. Now that's useful - your index finger is on the right fret for the minor blues scale. See we have just the right number of fingers - now doesn't that mean we're meant to play the blues!
I look forward to the next lesson when I have time tomorrow. Good night from Scotland and thanks again Hawkeye.

vikingblues, Thanks for the kind comments. My sincere sympathies and condolences on the passing of your cat ... I'm glad these lessons served as a bit of a tonic for your current sadness. The guitar is built to be played by human hands (!!!) ... what a surprise, eh? ... hard to believe sometimes, but it's true ... the information in instructional books can be confusing ... the old blues guys that I learned directly from like Brownie McGhee, Lightnin' Hopkins, Son House, Furry Lewis, MAnce Lipscomb, Bukka white ... didn't use 'confusing' music terms ... they would say, "Hawkeye, put your fingers here and do this." Good enough for me ... good enough for me to teach you that way ...a nd the supplemental material supplied by jamplay.com by our friend Matt 'fills' in the need for tablature/notation that some folks need/require. It's all good, as long as you enjoy the process. Thanks again,

jkrivis, For the record, let me say "Thank you" for letting me know that you've made a break-through. This basic blues information that I'm sharing with you should serve you for the rest of your life. You'll take these 'enlightening moments/strides' all for granted in a very short period of time ... it's a normal thing ... once you 'get it' ... to accept that knowledge and use it as a part of your playing ... as just another tool in your 'tool chest' of guitar playing information/skills ... this is the foundation that I'm trying to give you ... absolutely ... to make the information a part of you ... something you know and can always count on and come back to and always find creativity and inspiration through. I believe that the guitar is a life's companion ... and won't go anywhere ... without you. Thanks so much for enjoying these lessons.

Hawkeye, what can I say, that lesson was spectacular. Every once in a while you can watch a lesson you have what Steve Eulberg descibes as an AHA moment, I am testing this right now and will continue to do so. You have just blown a huge hole in the mist of musical confusion within me. With that 30 minute lesson you have opened up a whole new world for me, all I can do at this point is thank you very much for that, I was starting to forget ehat an AHA momentfelt like.

Mark, You're most welcome. Thanks so much. I hope you find there are many more such moments within these lessons. Opening the doors of musical perception for my students is where it's at for me as a guitar instructor. As I state previously, my main goal is to inspire people to play and enjoy the process of learning and playing. If any 'new idea'/concept I share with you facilitates/compels you to play the guitar more and more, then I'm doing my job. Please keep in mind that these little 'ideas' that you find 'amusing,' enjoyable, and fulfilling to play and create with now ... will be part of your blues guitar playing/creating 'arsenal forever. Enjoy the process of discovering the many way to express yourself with the blues scale. Again, thanks so much for your kind comments. Enjoy the process and the journey.

I generally play in Piedmont style with thumb bass and index finger doing most of the work in the high strings. This is such a great tip since I can play the chords and then use this to put in some nice little scale notes in between. I'm probably gonna wear out my fingers this next week trying this. Thanks HH for this great lesson.

iuka, Thanks so much. My primary goal is to inspire people to play and enjoy the process of learning and playing. If any 'new idea'/concept I share with you facilitates/compels you to play the guitar more and more, then I'm doing my job. Please keep in mind that these little 'ideas' that you find 'amusing,' enjoyable, and fulfilling to play and create with now ... will be part of your blues guitar playing/creating 'arsenal forever. Enjoy the process of discovering the many way to express yourself with the blues scale.

I like the way you go through and really reinforce the key ideas. Another cool lesson, but I need to go right back to the beginning and learn this stuff... a little daunting seeing as you have 70 odd lessons, will be an interesting journey. Like with so many of the instructors like Mark Lincoln, Steve Eulberg, Jimmy D, I look forward to chatting with you Hawkeye. Thanks.

slaterstu, There are free lessons on my web site here hawkeyeherman.com/guitar-lessons.htm and you can see how I use the techniques I teach at jamplay.com when I'm performing here youtube.com/profile?user=HawkeyeH&view=videos Take your time with these lessons. There's no rush, crawl before you walk, and walk before you run. Move on/forward with each lesson at your own speed, be patient with yourself, and do the simple repetitions necessary at a slow speed and enjoy the sounds your guitar is making. Learn these 'building blocks'/lessons in the order in which I've presented them and you'll have great success in playing blues freely on the guitar, fun along the way, and a sense of understanding for blues musical ideas that will open 'doors' on the guitar for you forever. Now, please get back to lesson #1, and start this journey with me on 'the blues highway.

Blues Guitar with Hawkeye

The blues is a distinctly American style of music. Many popular genres such as jazz, rock, and country music draw upon basic blues concepts. Consequently, it is advantageous for any guitarist to study the blues.

Hawkeye explains how to add variety to the shuffle pattern by transferring the bass notes to the treble register and by adding palm muting. He also explains how you can create your own shuffle variations.

Having trouble getting those fingers to form barre chords? In lesson #115 of his Blues Series, Hawkeye covers some tips and techniques to help with these problematic chord shapes. Any beginner can master...

Hawkeye opens up some ideas on how to "plan ahead" in your playing. Similar to riding a bike, you need to look forward to see where your going. Humming what you want to play allows you to anticipate the...

"Herman plays with a sensitive, reflective touch that continually draws
attention to his vocals, which are effectively understated and free of
affectation... Herman can rock with the best of them. A solid choice for fans of
traditional acoustic blues."Living Blues Magazine

" ...plays haunting music on a mournful guitar." Los Angeles Times

"The only thing better than hearing this live album is seeing Hawkeye Herman
in the flesh. Whether adding his own spin to blues classics or offering his
own songs, Herman is a one-man history of blues, noteworthy guitar player and
inimitable communicator. Miss him at your peril."Blues Access

With over 40 years of performing experience, Michael "Hawkeye" Herman
personifies the range of possibilities in blues and folk music. His dynamic blues
guitar playing and vocal abilities have won him a faithful following and he leads
a very active touring schedule of performances at festivals, concerts, school
programs and educational workshops throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
His original music has been included in video dramas and documentaries and in
four hit theatrical productions.

In 2000, Hawkeye was awarded Philadelphia's
Barrymore Award for Excellence in Theatre for best original music in a
theatrical production. "Everyday Living," Hawkeye's first nationally released album
from 1987, now reissued on CD, features the late blues giants Charles Brown and
"Cool Papa" Sadler, and established the demand for his now long-standing
festival and concert touring. His latest CDs and DVD, "Blues Alive!" (CD), "It's
All Blues To Me" (CD), and "Hawkeye Live In Concert" (DVD) have been greeted
with rave reviews. Hawkeye's journalistic efforts have been published in numerous
national and regional blues and music-related periodicals.

In 1998 he was the
recipient of the Blues Foundation's "Keeping The Blues Alive" award for
achievement in education. He served on the Board of Directors of the Blues
Foundation for six years. Hawkeye was inducted into the Iowa Blues Hall of fame in
2004. In September of 2005, Hawkeye composed, at the request of the British
Broadcasting Company (BBC), "Katrina, Oh Katrina (Hurricane Blues)," detailing the
hurricane disaster on the Gulf Coast. The song was aired to over 7 million
listeners on the popular "BBC Today" program. He is the cofounder of the Rogue
Valley Blues Festival, Ashland, OR.

This musician has definitely carved out a
spot for himself in the contemporary acoustic blues/folk field, and has earned a
reputation as one of the most accomplished artists in the genre, and
audiences throughout the US/Canada/Europe have come to know and appreciate Hawkeye's
talent, dedication, and captivating performances.

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